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It’s hard for me to believe I am officially moving out of the United States TOMORROW! Earlier today I made it to California for a little rest and relaxation before my big flight out. These past few weeks in particular have been a whirlwind of doing my best to keep up with work and getting things in order for the move- things like selling my car, cancelling insurances, getting new global health insurance, plus so many others things I never even thought about. At times it’s felt extremely hectic… I don’t remember the last time I just had one day or even an evening to myself to relax, then add on some unexpected doctor visits and let’s just say stress levels have been a bit high. Lately I’ve been able to enjoy a few wonderful quality-time trips and many dinners with close friends and family which has made me feel so very special and loved. Overall I am feeling surprisingly prepared and very excited… EXTREMELY excited!!!

A lot of people have been asking me a few of the same questions so I thought I’d share those along with my final thoughts- good and bad- about the fact that I am leaving this hemisphere and moving to Australia.

Where will you be living?

We have a house!!! We will be living in East Ballina, right near the border of New South Wales and Queensland… about 2 hours south of Brisbane near the Gold Coast. I can’t even explain how lucky and grateful I feel to have a beautiful home waiting for me. Stephen did a great job finding our new home- going to all the open houses on his own and keeping me updated along the way about the properties. Even though HE is the actual homeowner he’s made me feel so involved and he truly values my opinions and what I wanted in a home. In addition to an open floor plan, outdoor living and 2 bathrooms, it was really important to me to have 3 bedrooms. Since I will be working from home 100% and when people visit it will be for extended time (2 weeks) and not just for a weekend, the separation of home office and guest bedroom was key in my mind. I am pretty sure he nailed it, plus it’s only a 6 minute drive to the beach!

What will you miss the most about the America?

Obviously I will be missing my family and friends very much, so let’s just get that no-brainer out of the way! Lately I’ve people have asked me, what food will you miss? I really can’t think of one… Australia has amazing seafood, sushi, burgers, Indian/Chinese food and honestly the cuisine is not that different there. The only one I could really think of is Mexican food since apparently they just haven’t gotten it right down there. When it really comes down to it the thing I am going to miss the most about America is Amazon Prime, and no I am not joking! The past few months I’ve become quite addicted and it’s saved my ass while being so busy and having no time to drive around to stores. I’ll actually have to go to a store to buy stuff now?! #firstworldproblems

Are you going to look for work there?

The type of visa I have to live in Australia right now is a 1 year Work/Holiday visa. Under this visa I am allowed to be employed by a company for up to 6 months and then would need to switch companies, but I am not allowed to have Australian clients under this visa. Given the nature of my work and how I’ve purposefully set myself up to have clients and not to be someone’s employee, I will not be looking for work there during this next year. I am fortunate enough to have gained my U.S. client’s trust to continue working for them abroad, plus I may have a few ideas up my sleeve for the future so stay tuned ;). If you’re interested in traveling to and living in Australia yourself, you will need a visa (yes you will need a visa for a 2 week visit but it’s easy and like $50) and can find more information HERE. After this first year Stephen and I will then apply for a partner visa, and once approved I will then be able to open my business up to potential Australian clients!

How does your family feel about you moving?

I am pretty sure no parent would choose for their daughter to move across the world. Although I know my parents and siblings are excited for me I know it is not an easy thing to grasp, especially for my mother. Unlike if I was living anywhere else in the United States they now won’t be able to easily jump on a plane to see me and visa versa. Despite the sad feelings everyone has been incredibly supportive and proud of me for putting myself out there to take this risk. They definitely see the wonderful opportunity to experience the other side of the world, and I know I couldn’t have made the decision to go full hearted without them behind me. Deep down it kills me to know I am choosing to do something that is turning my mom’s world around, but I know she also wouldn’t want to stand in the way of this huge life change. No matter what change in life is hard, but only amazing things come from pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.

What are you most excited about?

Of course first thing is seeing Stephen DUHHH. But second is for sure coastal living. Throughout the years I’ve kept a list of life goals, both short and long term, and moving to the beach has been on my list for as long as I can remember. I was determined it would happen at some point but I wasn’t sure exactly when or how. Well now I am about to live not only 6 minutes from the beach but in a country that has over 10,500 different beaches! Insane. It is not only the beach itself that attracts me to the coast but it’s the entire lifestyle, vibe and mentality. Honestly I am not one to lie there and bake in the sun all day (hello skin cancer!) but instead I just simply love being by the water.

Then I must say I cannot wait to decorate our new place. We are literally starting from scratch so this will be the first time in my life so far I will be able to actually design a space, instead of just finding a way to make a bunch of random crap I’ve had for years work together. I am definitely not someone who wants to go blow money on all new things- I love finding cool second hand pieces to give new life to. I’ve seen my mother on so many occasions find the most amazing deals for under $50 that easily looks like it came from Pottery Barn or wherever everyone is shopping these days. We definitely want to invest most in the staple pieces like the couch, dining and outdoor living- but all the other pieces will be fun DIY projects I can’t wait to share on the blog!

Final thoughts?

Part of me is still in awe this is all actually happening. Right now as I sit in my friend’s kitchen overlooking their beautiful backyard and views of Anaheim Hills, it feels like I am back on another vacation to southern California. Except this time I have way more luggage and no return ticket. I’ve made HUGE changes in my life during the past two years and none of them have happened out of luck or by chance. I know they’ve happened because I’ve refused to limit myself to the normalities and pressures of others. I’ve been told I am unrealistic, that I should be getting a normal job with benefits, that it’s crazy to move so far because for THEM it’s scary. I’ve talked to friends about the fear behind taking certain risks in life and I think so many can’t get past that fear. I will tell you, it gets easier and easier to jump in and go for it.

The last thing I want to share is how incredibly touched and lucky I am to have such amazing friends and family in my life. The out pour of support and excitement I’ve received from everyone the last few months has been indescribable. Next blog post will be written from down under so stay tuned!

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard”
— Winnie the Pooh